Rainbow Scarab Beetle, Phanaeus vindeximage credit: Olga Helmy, nytimes.com

Rainbow Scarab Beetle, Phanaeus vindeximage credit: Kcam12

image credit: Seth Patterson

Rainbow Scarab Beetle, Phanaeus vindeximage credit: Justabird2

Rainbow Scarab Beetle, Phanaeus vindeximage credit: AlaskaFreezeFrame

Rainbow Scarab Beetle, Phanaeus vindeximage credit: id10t

Rainbow Scarab Beetle, Phanaeus vindex



image credit: whatsthatbug.com

Habitat: eastern US to the Rocky Mountains

Status: No conservation concerns

Now these are some beautiful beetles, huh? I mean really – just look at those colors! The metallic greens, coppers, golds, and crimsons would make even the most established MAC artist envious.

The Rainbow Scarab Beetle (Phanaeus vindex) certaintly does have its looks going for it… but that’s about it. You see, these are actually DUNG BEETLES! That’s correct. They love themselves some poop. Huge, steaming, piles of poop. A fresh pile of poop can attract Dung Beetles in a matter of minutes. Not only do these guys eat poop, but they are constantly searching for it because that’s where Rainbow Scarabs hatch their young.

Females will lay their eggs into pre-rolled balls of dung so that the larva can feed on the … feces … once they hatch. Grubs get super fat in their poopy homes until they are old enough to become adult Rainbow Scarabs; then they change into a pupa (resting stage) before metamorphosing into a hungry adult. Can you guess what they’re hungry for?

POOP!